1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method for playing a casino-type game, and more particularly to a poker-type game that can be played as either a table game or a computer video game.
2. Prior Art
Card games have for centuries been a form of entertainment as well as wagering. However, in casino establishments, particularly in the United States, a wagering game cannot be played unless it meets all of the commercial criteria of the casino and the regulatory criteria established by the state or other governing authority. These criteria would include the following: (1) the game must be entertaining to play and have an ability to attract certain amounts of wagers during predetermined time periods, (2) the game must appear to have reasonable odds in favor of the player, but (3) the game must actually have unvarying overall odds in favor of the casino or dealer yet these odds cannot in many cases exceed certain limits, and (4) the game must be designed to be simple and easily monitored by non-players and the dealer to avoid errors and cheating. All of these factors have made it extremely difficult to obtain the necessary approvals for playing a new game in a casino.
There are many variations of poker. The most relevant known prior art game is Second Draw poker and a slight variation thereof called Second Chance poker. Second Draw is played like the typical casino stud poker game except that after a player has been dealt five cards, he is given an option to discard one card and draw a sixth card in an attempt to improve his hand. In this game, no second wager or change in odds is permitted. "Second Chance" poker is similar except that the player is given an opportunity to discard his entire first hand and draw a second hand. Again, no second wager is permitted, but the odds drop a constant amount if a second hand is elected.
To the applicant's knowledge, Second Draw and Second Chance have not been licensed for play in casinos. While the above mentioned games have appeared in computer video game format, their appeal has been diminished by the lack of random generation of cards.
While these earlier stud poker games have appealed to players, there has been for some time a strong desire by the casino industry to be able to provide a draw poker type game which offers the wagerer more options and which encourages additional betting, as well as meets all other governing authority, particularly one which can be computer played.